The Professor
by cbssoapsgirl
Summary: Seeing him years later can't help matters, or maybe it can.
1. Clients

First days of classes for Harvard Law School was starting getting Olivia prepared. One more night before the class started and she would be working her second job until 2 am. She had a nine o'clock class, then another at noon, then at four, then off to her first job at the law firm, then finally her diner shift. It had been this way for four years for Olivia. Since she left high school four years ago, leaving in the middle of the night from Cyrus and James's house to pack her things and be gone. Olivia had never gone back since then. Cyrus and James would fly out to see her on the major holidays and she appreciated that. Her breakup with Fitz was one sided but mandatory for the situation. _"You cannot be a mistress" _Liv reminded herself every time she would think of him. Several times she wanted to go back and make everything right but it would never matter because he was happy with his wife and son and whatever other children they had.

Olivia hadn't dated anyone since him. She felt too heartbroken to get invested in anything like that again, though she would never admit it.

"Good afternoon, Henry, getting home early to Maria and the kids tonight?" she asked her boss. Henry was the biggest lawyer in most of Massachusetts and she managed to get the job as his head paralegal assistant, his right hand woman, the first month she moved to Cambridge.

"Hopefully, the new client interview is piling up and I have to go through all of them tonight and decide by tomorrow. So getting home to them won't happen for a while. Maybe, if I make it home before 8 though, she won't change the locks again. I had to wake Amy up by throwing rocks at her window the last time. Something a father should never do to his daughter," Henry explained.

"What if I go through them tonight?"

"Liv, you don't have to do that."

"You trust me right?" Henry nodded and smiled at her. "I'm read through them tonight and decide which ones we should take. You go home to your family and take the rest of the night off. I will handle everything."

"Are you sure you want to take this on? I can do it, Maria is always mad at me for something. I mean you don't know that much about the intakes."

"I always trust my gut. If I decide that we take someone and it doesn't work out, I'll let you fire me."

"You're really sure of yourself."

"That I am. Now go before I change my mind."

"Okay, I'm gone!"

Henry rushed out of his office heading home for the night. Olivia started to read the intake interviews as she sat in his chair. There had to be at least two hundred that she had to read front to back and then decide on. It wasn't a simple job but it was one she was going to take on.

When the clock turned to 7 pm, she went to her office and changed for her next job, leaving Henry the pile of clients she already decided yes on.

The diner was an easy shift for the night, mostly a few tourists. Usually, the place was jammed with Harvard students getting coffee and Wi-Fi. But since it was the last night before classes started they were all at the fraternity parties.


	2. Avoid

After her shift was over at the diner, Olivia went home to bed. Waking up at seven to get ready for the day she dressed in her knee high boots, fitted black skirt, and her cream professional tank top. She pulled her hair into a tight bun and grabbed her jacket heading to the firm.

"Henry, here's the rest of the intakes. The rest were rather declined. I think I made the right choice on these, let me know what you think," she informed him in a rush.

"What's the hurry? It's only 8. I'd say have some coffee but I think you've had about twenty cups already," Henry said.

"First day and I need to be there soon. I have to get going, text me if there's a problem okay?"

"Sure, but I know there won't be."

Olivia went to the café down the road before going off to her first class.

The first class went great. A professor she'd have every term since she arrived, one that she loved. Second class was good, a professor she'd had a couple of times before but he didn't like her.

"Last class," she prepared herself with Amy. Liv and Amy had been best friends since Henry invited Olivia over for dinner four years ago.

"It's the last class of the day and you are still nervous? I'd be so excited, you have a busy schedule," Amy replied.

"But I work hard and get the job done. Let's go."

Olivia led Amy to the lecture hall and begged her to sit in the front with her. Amy actually was able to convince her to sit in the back and assess the new professor. No one had met her yet or even knew her name. Olivia had heard that the new professor was good and worth every penny the school was paying them to teach from a couple of the other professors.

Everyone stared at the clock awaiting the arrival of the professor.

"They're ten minutes late, we can go and not be in trouble for ditching. The rule book says so," Amy told Olivia.

"It's only 4:09, maybe she's lost. Give her another ten minutes and if she isn't here then I will leave, you should stay too," Olivia said.

Amy looked at her and mumbled something Liv couldn't hear but ignored anyway.

"For those of you who stayed, thank you for following the rules. For those who left, they aren't worth my time anyway. I assume all of you have read the first five chapters of the book required and are prepared to discuss," a male voice came.

Olivia froze the second she heard his voice. His voice haunted her in her sleep sometimes and at others, she could hear it only in her head. Each time, she ignored that voice and went on with her life. But this voice was one that, this time, she couldn't ignore. He was actually here in person and not in her mind.

Quickly she sank down in her seat at the top of the room so he couldn't see her.

"Liv, what are you doing?" Amy whispered. Olivia quietly put on her jacket zipping it all the way up and pulling the hood over her. "What's going on?" She sank down just as Olivia had so she could hear her.

"The debates we have in here will remain civil and appropriate. It will become intense at times but you all still have to remain civil. Each time the class will be divided into the prosecution and the defense that I will choose and you will argue that side," he continued.

Liv started to pack up her things as quietly as she could.

"You stay and listen to this, I have somewhere I need to be," Liv whispered to her.

"Unseen?" Amy questioned.

"Don't worry about it, I'll tell you later."

When Fitz turned his back to write on the board Olivia made a run down the stairs out to the hallway. Fitz turned when he heard the click of shoes against the floor and turned to see what was going on. He caught a good glimpse at someone leaving his class but didn't see who it was.

Amy pulled out her phone texting Liv.

_He saw you leave._

Olivia went and hid around the corner catching her footing after nearly falling several times in her heels. She read the message and went to the firm.

"Liv, what are you doing here? Class over so soon?" Henry questioned her arrival.

"No, no, it's still going. Amy is coming over to my apartment after the class so we can regroup about it. I just had to… um… just see what you said about the new clients. What did you think about them?"

"You're lying."

"What? No I'm not."

"I'm a lawyer, Liv. I can tell when people are lying and you, my dear, are lying. What's the real reason? You look like you've seen a ghost."

"No, just someone who is a ghost to me."

"Care to elaborate?"

"Too complicated. Let's just go with 'I came to see your thoughts on the clients'. It's much easier."

"It's a great intake. Thirty new clients will keep us all busy. And since they are evenly distributed to every department I think it will work well. Everyone keeps their job, and gets a pay raise. Very good, Olivia. Thank you."

Olivia finished her conversation with Henry before heading to work at the diner. An hour into her shift, Fitz showed up sitting in the corner booth. Luckily for her, she was able to avoid being seen by him for the second time that day. Liv asked Bella, another waitress, to take her shift because something important came up. When Bella agreed, she went out the back getting into her car to go home. Liv knew she was lucky the first two times to avoid him but luck wasn't on her side. The world is a big place but not big enough to avoid him forever.


	3. Run

Amy unlocked the door to Olivia's apartment when her last class was over. Liv gave her a key long ago telling her to come over whenever she needed an escape. She waited for Olivia to finish her shift at the diner and was surprised when she was home before 9.

"Want to explain the whole mystery leaving thing from earlier? I'm very curious to know," Amy questioned her.

"Personally, I don't want to discuss it. I am going to transfer out of the class. I can't go through this again," Olivia said slamming her bag to the floor.

"Whoa, okay, what happened before? Is this something about Professor Grant?" Olivia stared at her with the saddest face she had ever made. "So it is about him? You know him?"

"Unfortunately, remember I told you the guy about? The guy that was the reason I left California?" Amy nodded edging her to go on. "Well… he's him."

"He's who? Who's he?"

"You can be so dense sometimes. The professor is the reason I left. But back then he wasn't a professor, he was just a high school civics teacher. It's him. He's back to ruin my life again. But this time, I won't let him."

"Liv, how do you know he's here for you? Maybe he came for the teaching position."

"It's possible but he knows I'm here. Cyrus and James know that I'm here; they would have told him that I was here. He's doing this to try to torture me."

"Don't you think that's a bit self-centered?"

Olivia sat in the chair next to Amy running her hands through her hair taking the bun out. "I know that not everything has something to do with me but why would he be here? He has a wife and a son. I highly doubt they moved with him across the country. I just don't want him here."

"You should talk to him. You said yourself that you didn't let him explain. Maybe he's got something important to tell you and you'll make up. It's worth a shot."

"A shot to hurt me again? He'd only tell me that I was a side chick, I was a student mistress for several months before he got bored and decided that I needed to know he was married and nothing could ever happen for real between us. That's all he would say to me. I already know that and I don't need an explanation about how better she is than me."

Amy sat up and slapped Olivia's head. "There is no one better than you! You do everything and still manage to breathe. And if you say that ever again, I'll call Cyrus and he will fly out here and hit you harder than that."

"Cyrus! Of course! Cyrus will know exactly what he is doing out here. I'll call him in the morning."

In the morning Olivia thought it was best to go for a run to clear her head instead of a swim. It gave her fresh air and more room and time to think. After running for five miles she started to walk around the campus seeing people chat with each other over coffee. She stopped by the café to get her morning coffee.

"Vanilla mocha add caramel, medium," she placed her order.

Olivia stood to the side after paying and waited for her drink.

"Just because I'm here… will you stop and listen to me?... she can't ignore me forever…" Liv heard his voice.

She stood still for a moment waiting. She wasn't sure what she was waiting for. Liv took off running out to the sidewalk and down the main campus. She pulled her phone out and dialed Cyrus.

"Stop running," he skipped the formalities.

"I'm not running," she countered.

"You are, I can hear you breathe. You're running, but why are you running is my question?"

"Why is he here?" she asked still running.

"Clue me in on he and here?"

"You know exactly the he and the here. Cyrus did you tell him where I was? You better not have, I'll sick James on you!"

"Sweetie, James is sweet. He couldn't hurt a fly. I know, he made me kill one the other day. As for him, he knew you were there. Eli knows where you are all the time. I don't have to tell him anything."

"Not him, the other him!"

"Oh, that him. He got the teaching job at the law school."

"Yes, I know that. Thank you for the nonexistent heads up, by the way. He's my professor. I'm changing classes though," she told him through heavy breath.

"Liv, will you stop running for a minute. He's just a professor. What can go wrong?"

"He was JUST a teacher too."

"I see your point. I will talk to him and make sure he stays away from you. Transfer out of his class and go to another but I'm sure he already knows that you are in his class. If I know him, he's going to make sure that you stay in it. And if he does know, he's already made plans to see that he talks to you. That's all I know, Liv. If you can, avoid him however you can."

"Easier said than done."


	4. Knocks

Olivia sat with Amy on the couch studying for the test a couple weeks later. The advance litigation class was fast paced and sometimes played dirty.

"How is it we are on opposite sides this time? She always puts us on the same team," Amy asked.

"I think Professor Lang wants us to try and see how well we do when we are against friends. Jason and Jacob are on opposite sides too. It's nothing to do with us. Lang just wants to see our character," Olivia replied.

"At least we didn't get the Simpson trial."

"Nope, we get the Arias trial. Everyone knows she did it and now we wait for the sentencing. It's so dumb to wait. Arizona has the death penalty. She shouldn't be taking up too much air for much longer."

"Morbid Olivia hasn't been out to play in a while," Amy joked. "I missed her. But can you bring out the studying Olivia so we can get this done."

As both girls read through their notes they could hear voices on the other side of the door.

"You mean the anti-social, lovely, cut your dick off with words, intimidating, Olivia Pope?" a loud man's voice sounded.

"Yeah, she'd be the one," she heard his voice.

"Last apartment, Professor Grant."

"Thank you, see you in class tomorrow."

Amy watched Olivia's eyes go wide not sure how she was responding. Olivia moved quickly towards Amy.

"Do not tell him I'm here. I don't live here and you don't know where to find me," Liv ordered in a whisper.

_Knock. Knock. Knock_

"He's going to know you live here," Amy whispered back. Olivia ran into the bedroom closing the door behind her quietly but left it open enough to see and hear what was going on. Amy waited several seconds when the knock came again. She put her book down and went to answer it. "Hey, Professor Grant, what are you doing here?"

"Amy, hi. I'm looking for uh… Ms. Pope, is she here?" Fitz asked sweetly.

"Pope? Like Olivia Pope?"

"Yes, she's here right?"

"She doesn't live here," Amy said looking towards the bedroom. "I think you're at the wrong building."

"Her student file says she lives here. Did she move?"

Amy looked towards the bedroom again, "I've been here for years and haven't heard of her. I know her reputation. She sounds like quiet the amazing woman. I'd hate to have to go against her in anything."

"You don't know the half of it," Fitz smirked. "If you do run into her, can you tell her that I'm looking for her please?"

"If I ever do meet the famous Olivia Pope, I'll be sure to let her know. Have a good night, Professor."

"You too Amy."

Amy closed the door and went to the bedroom seeing Olivia lying on the bed.

"He's so sweet, how can you ignore him?" Amy asked.

"Because I've been hurt by him. I've suffered the wounds and cleaned up the scratches and moved on. Now he's back and looking for me. There's only so much I can handle."

"I'm sure he's sorry. That's probably why he was here. He wanted to apologize."

"Amy, I'm so glad that you're a mind reader. Quick tell me what I'm thinking."

"Stop mentally flipping me off and calling me a bitch. I don't know him as well as you do. That's why I can be biased."

"Bravo! Let's get back to studying and go to bed for the night."


	5. Followed

Olivia sat in the library studying for her test that she would take the next morning while she had some free time. It was quiet there and not many people were around. She highlighted her notes ready for the practice test she prepared for herself that Amy would score for her later.

Around 4 she saw that it was time to head back to the firm. She went back to her office doing the paperwork Henry asked her to do before the end of the day then headed into his office.

"All done," she said handing him the files.

"Great Liv! Thank you," Henry responded. "Good luck on the test, I know you'll do great."

Olivia went on with her day ready then got ready to go to the diner.

She continued her routine daily for two weeks. Nothing changed but she did feel like she was being followed. Each time she went somewhere a white car would follow her. Whoever was following her never got out of the car. They sat in the parking lots of everywhere she went.

Finally having enough she pulled out her cell phone and dialed the number.

"Hello?"

"You're not being very discreet anymore," Liv told him.

"I assure you, dear, that I am very discreet. The only way that you would know you were being followed is if you were extremely observant."

"I am your daughter, Eli. I have many traits from you and knowing that I am being followed is one of them. Why I'm being followed is my question. Answer that, please?"

"For your protection," Eli told her. "Cyrus tells me that your old teacher is a professor there."

"He's not a threat. I'm not speaking to him and I'm avoiding him at all costs. Do you think we can cool it with the detail?"

"In exchange for?"

"Why does everything have to be a bargain? What do you want?"

"Dinner on Sunday. I have a meeting in Cambridge on Saturday and will spend the night. You have dinner with me on Sunday and I'll have the detail backed off. Deal?"

Liv sighed knowing there's no other way to avoid it. "Fine, dinner at the diner, I have to work Sunday night."

"Alright, I'll see you there at six," Eli confirmed hanging up.

He put in the call to make her detail stop following her until further notice.


	6. Thanksgiving

Dinner with Eli went very well for Olivia that weekend. She was able to do her studying and work all while spending dinner with her father. Neither one had too much to share with the other so their conversation was limited to her schooling. The white car that had been following her was no longer doing so giving her a bit of relieve.

Two months had gone by and it was Thanksgiving. After constant begging James was able to convince Olivia to come home for the holiday. He reminded her that with Fitz in Cambridge, she had no reason to avoid coming back. The day before Thanksgiving she got on the plan ready for James's homemade stuffing.

"It's great to have you back, Liv," Cyrus hugged her picking her up at the airport.

"I'm back, I'm back but can we not make a big deal out of it? Both my bosses are mad that I left town for the weekend. Henry understood a bit more after I told him I hadn't been home in a while but Frank isn't happy about it. I told him that I'd be back Sunday night to work the late shift," Liv explained.

Cyrus took her bags and put them in the car driving back to the house.

"James! She's here!" Cyrus yelled to him.

"Thank God, you can help me. I don't really know how to cook a turkey but thought you might," James said in a hurry.

"Hi James, the flight was good, no bad weather anywhere. Can we start with that first?" Liv laughed.

"But I wanted to get down to the point. You're only here for three days and I want it to be great. So tell me everything!"

Once Thanksgiving was over and Black Friday with James was done, Olivia was able to sit in the living room with Cyrus and enjoy the quiet while James wrapped gifts.

"Have you talked to him?" Cyrus questioned her.

"Well that silence didn't last long, did it? No, Cy, I haven't talked to him. Did you want me to talk to him?" Liv responded.

"You're at Harvard Law, he's at Harvard Law. You've never run into him and worked it out?"

"Cy, why do you care?"

"Because I know you still hold guilt about it. You shouldn't blame yourself for getting involved with him. He's just as much at fault as you are. Fit…"

"Don't say his name. I don't blame myself for getting involved with him. I hate myself for getting involved with him. I let him get too close and I'm the one who got hurt. I've learned to handle that hurt but I'm not fond of it. I'm not going to therapy either. You know I don't talk about my feelings. James gets enough out of me as my own therapist and he's free. I try to avoid him no matter the cost. I have run in the other direction, hid behind walls, covered my face with my jacket and any way else I've had to so that I wouldn't have to be seen by him. He's come to my apartment looking for me but I told Amy to tell him I wasn't there and she didn't know where I was. She also lied and said she didn't know WHO I was but that's another story. I have a year and a half left that I need to avoid him. If I play my cards right, I can do it. I won't have any reason to talk to him or about him to anyone. Life's difficult, Cy."

"Yup, it is. You would be one to know. I know life's been hard for you Liv. Especially after… what happened. And with him. But I'm glad you've moved on."

"There's never been time to dwell on things you can't change. And besides, gladiators don't get to run or hide."

"But that's what you're doing, Liv. You're running and hiding. Mentally, emotionally, and physically. Eventually you will run into him and you will have to face the demon. It's not fair but it has to be done. If gladiators can't run or hide than you aren't doing your job as a gladiator. Face the fear and get it over with. You'll have a lot of weight lifted off your shoulders."

"When the time comes, I will Cyrus. But not a moment sooner. I won't intentionally seek him out to make amends with myself. But I will face it, when the time is right."

On late Sunday afternoon, Olivia arrived back in Cambridge ready for school on Monday but first work that night. She took a cab back to campus and wheeled her suitcase behind her. She got to her building and up to her floor. She pulled out her key ready to put it in the door to unlock it.

"I knew you lived here, Livie."


	7. Tension

His voice made her shiver. It was warm and comforting only by using the nickname that only he called her. After him, it pained her for anyone to say that name. She froze not sure to continue into the apartment or stop and turn to see him. He was standing ten feet away from her but it felt like he was right behind her. He didn't move afraid that if he did she would run. Seconds ticked by and still no one moved. Olivia kept her eyes locked on the key half way in the keyhole. A little bit more and she could turn the lock, run in, and close the door locking him out. She could see his reaction to that in her mind. She could be fast but not fast enough to get away from him.

Fitz had his eyes locked on her. She hadn't changed one bit. Her hair was still the long brown it was before, pulled back the way she liked it. Same height, probably weight, sexy, gorgeous woman he loved years before and still did. Though he hadn't seen her face, he knew she could only be prettier than before. He saw her hand shake holding the key and he wanted to reach out and steady her. Touch her in some way just to feel her. Fitz watched her closely to see any sort of movement as to the way she would go. She could turn and run to him or turn and run away from him. But she did know that either way that she went, he was going after her and not letting go.

The floor was silent with everyone still not being home yet. Most wouldn't arrive until later that night. He could hear her breathe the same as she could him. Ready to make a move, Olivia had to decide quickly. Run or don't run? Don't run or run? She just discussed with Cyrus when the time was right she would face it. She didn't feel like now was the time.

Her snap decision was made. Fast as possible for her, Olivia pushed the key further into the keyhole and turned it. He saw her movement and took one step closer to her. Liv opened the door quickly and went in closing the door behind her, but was too slow for him. Before the door was able to close, Fitz put his foot in the doorway stopping it. He put his hands on the door trying to push it open while Olivia used every muscle she had to close it on him. He got the door open after a minute though Olivia gave it everything she had to keep him out.

Fitz stood in front of her looking at her but she kept her stare to the floor. Hands at his sides, he was ready for her next move. Whatever she was going to do he was ready for.

Olivia looked at her feet, willing them to cooperate to run. She looked out of the corner of her eye and saw her bedroom door. If she was quick, she'd be able to make it, close it, and lock it. Either way, she had to risk it. Within a split second she ran to her room but didn't make it.

The second her feet moved, Fitz grabbed her wrist tightly. He held her back with one hand ready to stop her from running anywhere but into him.

She knew she was caught, that there was no way she was getting out of this mess. Liv planted her feet, holding her ground. She knew he wouldn't let go of her left wrist but she still had her right one. Fast, she slapped him across the face.

He knew it was coming. Fitz knew that when she felt trapped, hitting was her go to. He took the hit letting her get it out once.

Again, she slapped him. He took it again. Olivia dealt him several more hits and he took each one. She gave him a slap to the face for each time they slept together four years before. Thirty nine hits he took before taking her wrist and stopping her.

Neither of them said a word as they stared. His eyes locked on her face reading her emotions like a book. She couldn't stand to look at his eyes swearing that would be her downfall and giving in to him. Olivia broke free of his grasp, crossing her arms and pacing in circles around the living room. Fitz watched each movement as he slowly moved back closing the door and locking it but never taking his eyes off of her.

He could as what was wrong, but he already knew. She paced in circles when something was wrong. Back and forth when she was thinking. He knew the answer to why she was pacing and he couldn't stop her. She paced around the furniture, arms crossed, head down, in slow strides. Olivia knew the day would come to confront her demon but never thought it was this soon. She hadn't prepared what she was going to say. There were so many things to say but nothing she could say. Her feelings were coming into play but she didn't know whether to scream or cry or both. It would have been so much easier to do both for her but she couldn't cry. Crying wasn't allowed for gladiators and she had to at least act like one around him. Crying was a form of weakness as she was raised to believe.

Fitz let her pace in the circle for a half hour while he stood against the door watching. In the half hour no words had been said but he could feel the emotions coming off of her. The room filled with tension without a word, each waiting for the other to break the silence.

It took ten more minutes before Fitz finally spoke up. "Just say whatever it is you want to say."


	8. Died

So much she wanted to say but had to remember that he was a professor more than an ex… ex-whatever. She did just hit him thirty nine times but she still didn't care.

He stood against the door expecting her to say something, anything she wanted to say.

"Livie, whatever you want to say. Anything," he told her.

Olivia stood against the window in the living room staring at her reflection against the window. "I want you to leave," she ordered.

"But I'm not going to. Try something else."

"That's all I have to say."

"Olivia, the best debater, mouthy, attitude giving, always has a comeback prepared, Pope is speechless? That doesn't sound like the Livie I know."

She kept her gaze down at the window watching her reflection and seeing how sad she really looked. "That Olivia is gone."

"What happened to her?"

"She was ruined."

"And I'm sure I'm the one who did that. I'm sorry. Truly sorry for what happened. Is there any way that Olivia could come back?"

Liv shook her head no tearing up but refused to let him see it. She reminded herself about gladiators and how they are supposed to live. "That Olivia was ruined and she died. She's never coming back."

Fitz took several quiet steps closer to her without her noticing. She hadn't turned to see him at all. He thought if he was quick, he'd be able to make his way to her and capture her in his arms before she ran. But if he was going to do that, he had to do it very quick. Olivia was small but she was definitely fast.

As fast as he could he moved directly behind her not touching her yet but inhaling her scent. The shampoo she used was the complete opposite of what she used before. Her perfume was oddly different. But she was still the Olivia he remembered in ways. His Livie didn't really leave; she just disappeared for a while.

Slowly, so he would not frighten her, he wrapped his arms around her waist and felt her tense into a statue at the contact. Olivia wanted to run away from his touch, from him but her feet wouldn't let her move. She finally was able to squirm out of his grip away from him. She turned around facing him but looking at his chest. With everything she had in her, she hit him in his toned chest trying to get him away from her. Fitz just stood in front of her letting her. He knew he deserved whatever she could dish out. Fitz would willingly take the knife to the heart if she was going to give that to him.

"Livie, you can hit me all you want but it won't make me go anywhere. I'm not going to run from you. Give me everything you've got but you can't push me away this time," Fitz promised.

She continued to hit him letting out all her aggression on him.

After several minutes he pulled her into him holding her tight against him. She tried to fight him off but it only made him hold her tighter.

"I know, sweet baby, I know. I hurt you. I know it hurt. I'm so sorry, Livie. It wasn't supposed to be that way. I know how bad it hurt; I'm going to make it up to you. Please just give me a chance," he begged her.

Olivia stopped resisting him and wrapped her arms around him clawing at his back holding him tight. She nuzzled her face into his chest holding back the tears she knew would fall eventually but couldn't allow falling in front of him.


	9. Truth

Olivia held on to Fitz as if he was the life boat keeping her from drowning. Somewhere in the back of her mind she knew he was the opposite; he was the reason for drowning. Liv held her emotions together for several minutes just holding him as he did her. Neither of them said anything. She pulled away from him and took steps away to distance herself.

"Why are you here?" she questioned him.

"I came to talk to you. I wanted to…" he started before she interrupted.

"No; here Harvard. Why here?"

"They offered me a position without having worked here. I came here."

"That's not it. There's always another motive and the college offering you a job isn't good enough for you to uproot your life, your family to the other side of the country. So what's the motive?"

"Livie…"

"STOP CALLING ME THAT! You have NO right to call me that anymore! I HATE IT! AND I HATE YOU!"

"Why don't you tell me what words you want me to say exactly? You tell me what to say and I'll say it to make you feel better. I will say whatever it is you want me to say. Just tell me."

"What I want you to say?" He nodded waiting for her to continue. "I want you to say that I was just some fling for you. That I was only a piece of ass you wanted to get on the side for a bit while your wife was pregnant. That we meant nothing to you and you were only playing with me. I want you to say that I never mattered to you. You never gave a damn about me or how I would feel. I want you to say that you have always thought of me as the fucking bitch you met on the first day in the classroom. I want to hear you say that thirty nine times was just a meaningless fuck for you to scratch an itch. That we were nothing. Say that I never mattered to you!"

Fitz shook his head keeping his hands in his pockets to resist from touching her. From going to her and kissing her to make her realize that she mattered to him more than anything.

"I can't say that."

"Why the hell not?"

"Because it's just the opposite. You mean everything to me. You were NOT just some fling. You were NOT a piece of ass I wanted while my wife was pregnant. You DO mean something to me and I was NOT playing with you. You matter to me. I give EVERY damn about you and how you feel. You are NOT the fucking bitch I met in that classroom. Thirty nine times meant EVERYTHING to me. We ARE SOMETHING. You matter the world to me. We are great together."

"You don't know that! We were never able to go out in public, we don't know how things could have gone. You are basing your facts off of how many times you screwed me."

"You and I both know that it was more than that. Each time we never screwed, we made love."

"But you don't love me! You never have!"

"I've loved you since you walked in that classroom and asked me what you missed from missing my class. From the first mouthy comeback. From the first debate that you stomped my ass at. I have loved you since the very beginning when I first saw you. You are amazing and have been since long before we met."

"You are saying it. You were never able to show it."

"I showed you THIRTY NINE times!"

"While you were MARRIED! While your wife was PREGNANT!"

"That's the part you're pissed about."

"Any reasonable person would be."

"That's where we went to hell. It's why you left."

Olivia sat on the arm of the couch and crossed her arms. "You had over three months to tell me that you were married and you never said a word. You had every chance to tell me."

"How would you have wanted me to tell you? Just pop up on day 'oh by the way, I'm married and she's pregnant'? It doesn't sound like a fun conversation to me."

"It's not meant to be a fun conversation. It's meant to be told to me. You should have told me the first day that I told you how I felt in the auditorium. Or you should have told me while you were sitting there at the diner playing protector that she was waiting for you at home."

"You had just been raped and needed to be protected."

"DO NOT SAY THAT!"

"Even after four years, you still haven't come to terms with what happened, have you?"

"We aren't discussing that."

"What exactly are we talking about right now? You seem to be all over the place right now. Are we talking about how I didn't tell you? Because that seems straight forward. Why I didn't tell you? How you felt about me being married? Or about the entire situation? Cause it's everywhere."

"We're talking about why you never told me. Why didn't you tell me that you were married?"

"Mellie and I never had a real marriage."

"The two of you signed a legal document entering into a marriage. Therefore, it was a real marriage."

"No, I mean we didn't date or anything like that before we were engaged. It was more like, we were chosen for each other. Not an arranged marriage but one that she was supposed to be the best fit into my father's plan that he had for my life. His plan never worked for me but we stayed married."

"If it didn't work than why stay married?"

"I never saw a reason to get out of it. Then she got pregnant and it made sense to stay married. But that all happened before I met you. Once I met you I knew I had to get out of that marriage. I was trying to when you left. I was getting everything worked out then Cyrus invited her to dinner that night and everything was shot to hell. I was going to tell you eventually. I wasn't sure when but I would have told you."

Olivia had yet to look at Fitz. The whole time she was staring anywhere else. She hadn't looked at his face yet. She was afraid that if she was to look at his face she might forgive him, and she wasn't ready for that. And if he looked in her eyes, he'd be able to see every feeling that she had about him.

"What's the motive?" she whispered.

"What?" Fitz didn't hear her.

"What's the motive for being here in my apartment? Are you here to get closure? To see that I've moved on? Or to ruin the rest of college for me? What is it you are here in my apartment for?"

"I came to see you. To tell you how sorry I am that I hurt you so much. That I did so much damage to you."

"Fine, I can tell how sorry you are and now you've seen me. Now you can go back to your wife and child and live the rest of your life guilt free of me. You're free!" Olivia stood up and headed to her bedroom.

"I'm divorced," he told her in a higher voice, nearly shouting. "I've been divorced for three and a half years. My son is actually my brother."

Olivia froze and turned back to the living room. "That's a sick lie."

"Lie, no. Sick, yes. Mellie was willingly screwing my father. She was after him before we got married. Why she married me, I'll never know. I assume when you can't have the best, you settle for second. Or third," he laughed.

"So why not tell me sooner? Or before I left that you were getting divorced?"

"You were so mad at me and wouldn't listen to anything I had to say that night. Cyrus and James threw me out. When I came back in the morning, you were gone. James threatened to let Eli off his leash if I interfered with your life again. Personally, I'm a bit afraid right now. But I'll deal with the consequences later. You left in the middle of the night."

"I had to."

"Have you learned to trust your heart yet?"

He saw Olivia's face turn into confusion. "You read the letter," she said straight instead of a question.

"I did. I broke your heart when you trusted me with it. I can imagine how you felt after that."

"Gladiators…"

"Don't get to have feelings," they said together.

"Cyrus told me all about the gladiator lifestyle," Fitz added. "It's okay to feel things. You have every right to feel anything you want to feel. I can assume that you're angry with me still and I don't blame you. I'm angry with myself every day. I should have come to find you sooner. I've known where you were the whole time but never came to look for you."

"How did you know where I lived?"

"I was here before. Amy someone was here. She said you never lived here but according to your student file you did. So I tracked you for a week in your routine. I knew today was either now or never to talk to you."

Olivia smirked laughing. "So it wasn't Eli following me, it was you! The white car was you. It's always been you."

"Only for a few weeks. I had to find the best time to corner you."

"You are a stalker," she laughed hard.

"I like to think of it as safely following. Stalker sounds to celebrity like." Fitz came in front of her and bent down to eye level with her. "If you want to throw me out right now, I'll leave. I've said my peace and I'm ready for your move. I need you to know though; you are the one for me. There's never been one since you and there won't be another one after you. You're it for me. I need you to know how sorry I am for hurting you that way. Reading the letter you wrote to James, it made everything clear to me about how much we meant to each other. I'm so sorry that I screwed that up by not telling you the truth. Every situation comes with a consequence. If that means that by not telling you the truth that I have to live life without you, well I don't know how well I can handle that. I want you to be happy with whatever you choose. If you tell me to walk out and leave never to come back, I will. It's your decision Livie, you make the choice."

Olivia kept eye contact with him. She could tell that he meant every word of what he said. He would leave and not come back if that's what she wanted but he would also stay if she wanted that. Liv could feel the tears piling up behind her eyes. She tried to blink them away but it only made them fall.

"I…"


	10. Decisions

"I don't know what I want," Olivia yelled. "I have to think about this. You weren't supposed to be here. We weren't supposed to have any of this conversation ever. I never wanted to see you again. This is something I did not want to discuss ever again. We aren't meant to have this discussion."

"But we are having this discussion," Fitz said. "Tell me what you're feeling? Talk it out and maybe I can help you."

"I can't have feelings."

"Cyrus taught you that for so long that's all you think about. He should have taught you something else. You can have feelings! You don't have to be the gladiator all the time. You're allowed to have whatever feelings you want."

"Being a gladiator is all I know how to be. That's all I can be. If you want me to be someone else, you might as well just leave and not ever come back."

"Olivia, you are perfect the way you are. I just think that you have taken the gladiator thing a bit to the extreme."

"Well, get over it. That's all I know how to be."

"I know, so let's just talk about what you want," he suggested.

"I can't talk about this with you. I need you to leave so I can think straight. I'll think about this. I can't give you a straight answer right now."

Fitz nodded and looked straight in her eyes. "I understand. I'm not leaving for good until you tell me too, though; I'm not going to keep bothering you. When you decide what to do, call me. Please remember though, I love you. I do love you a lot. I have never stopped. Please consider that." He wanted to kiss her but resisted and left the apartment.

Olivia locked the door and got her phone. She called the one person she thought could help, getting their voicemail, so she left a message.

"Hey, it's me, is there any chance you can come over. I need to talk to you in person. Call me."


	11. Arrival

Olivia woke up at six the next morning to the loud, annoying, constant knocking at her front door. She got up and went to answer it. Opening the door, the formalities were skipped.

"I'm here, what's wrong? I just saw you! What could possibly go wrong in the amount of time that we've been apart?" they asked.

"James, I meant for you to come. Not for you to bring Cyrus as well!" Liv shouted.

"I feel the love too, sweetie. James said you sounded upset on the phone so I came too. Just to be safe," Cyrus told her. "So what's going on?"

"He was over here last night. I thought it was Dad who was following me but it was really him. For a couple weeks it was him. He was trying to pinpoint a time to talk to me. We had a talk last night and I don't know what to do."

"He, Grant he?" James asked.

"Yes," she answered. Liv saw the pissed off look Cyrus had. "He's divorced now, Cy. But it doesn't change anything, I think. He didn't have very good reasons just blamed it on being stupid."

Cyrus put his coat back on and went out the door, slamming it behind him.

"Why would you bring him?" Olivia slapped James' shoulder playfully. "Now he's pissed!"

"He's only pissed because he's protective of you. You could have mentioned it was about him on the phone?"

"I thought you would call before you left. God only knows what he's going to do to him when he finds him. By now, he's probably called Eli!" Olivia ran to her bedroom throwing on a pair of jeans and sweatshirt. "Let's go find him."

They left out of the apartment going after Cyrus. The two of them looked at Fitz's office but it was too early for him to be there. She didn't know where Fitz lived or hung out. She tried to call him but there was no answer. James and Liv looked for an hour before going to the café for a coffee break.

"So what did you call me for?" James asked sitting down.

"I don't know what to do about him," she answered.

"For starters, you could give him a name. Tell me what you're feeling, talk it out with me."

"See, this is exactly why I called you. I'm thinking that I want to give him another chance. Maybe we could make a better go of it this time. Then I remember how much it hurt when he didn't tell me that he was married. Now he's divorced and the baby wasn't his and I feel for him. But I just remember how much he hurt me. It's something that I can't get over. I don't know, James. What do you think I should do?"

"What's your heart say?"

"I don't listen to that thing. It's broken. It has been for four years."

"Okay, your gut?"

"That I should give him another chance. That he deserves another chance but after the shitty stunt he pulled not telling me about her, I don't think I can trust him. I want to trust him. More than anything, I do. But part of me says not to ever let that happen again. That if I ever trust him, he's only going to hurt me again. Why would I let him hurt me again?"

"I don't know sweetie, I trust Cyrus. After all the crap he's pulled over the years, I still love him. Cy had to earn my trust again. He has it now, but it doesn't mean that I don't trust him completely. You have to figure out if you can allow yourself the hurt if something were to happen again. But remember, no one is perfect. Even I'm not perfect. Fitz is going to do something stupid again at some point and it's going to hurt but you will have to choose if you can handle that. But Liv, no matter who you are with, they are going to hurt you somehow. It's inevitable."

Olivia finished her coffee and went back to get a refill, leaving James at the table. The bell on the door chimed letting people know that someone was coming in. She turned back to her table and saw Fitz coming towards the counter.

She set the coffee on the table and placed her hands on her hips. "Why didn't you answer my calls?" she shouted getting his attention.

"I didn't know you called, what's up?" Fitz asked.

"I needed to know…"

"Olivia," James grabbed her attention pointing to the door.

"YOU!" Cyrus yelled coming in.

Olivia stepped in front of Fitz, blocking Cyrus. "Cy, don't make a scene here please."

"Olivia, what's going on?" Fitz asked.

"Olivia get out of the way," Cyrus demanded.

"Cyrus, don't embarrass her," James told him.

Olivia noticed that people were starting to stare at what was happening with them. "Cy, not here."

Cyrus moved around her and got in his face. "I've told you to leave her the hell alone! What the hell makes you think that you can come here and try to ruin her life?"

"Cyrus, let's not do this here. I am not trying to hurt her, I swear."

"I don't give a shit!"

"We've both told you to stay away from her," Eli said coming into the café.

Olivia wanted to disappear the second she saw Eli come in. "Can the two of you stop, please?" James pulled Olivia back to sit next to him. "You have to stop them. They are going to start something."

Fitz looked at Olivia trying to gauge her reaction. "Cyrus, Eli, you know I don't want to hurt her."

"We've told you to leave her alone. She doesn't need you coming in and screwing up her life. She's been doing great ever since your whole marriage ordeal," Cyrus told him.

"I don't mean to disrespect either of you. I talked to Olivia last night. I'm not leaving until she tells me to. If she wants me to leave forever, she will tell me. She's a grown woman and can speak for herself. She's not an invalid like the two of you think she is. Why don't you let her make up her own mind and speak for herself?"

Before another word was said, Cyrus punched Fitz in the face, busting his nose.

"WHAT THE HELL CYRUS!" Olivia yelled. She ran over to Fitz with napkins trying to stop the blood. "You two are ridiculous! I can make my own decisions."


	12. Emergency

"I'm sorry they did that to you," Olivia apologized for the millionth time on the way to the emergency room. They sat in the room while the doctor stitched up Fitz's nose. They'd been sitting there for a couple hours waiting while blood dripped out of his nose. "I can't believe he broke your nose. He shouldn't have even been here."

"Liv, I'll be fine. You can go if you want; you don't need to sit here with me," Fitz told her.

"I do, it's my fault. I called James but he brought Cyrus and he called Eli. I'm really sorry."

"This isn't your fault. But, if I may, what are they doing here?"

"I needed to talk to James. He's my go to guy when I have to talk about feel…things."

"You mean feelings," Fitz stated.

"Sure," she rolled her eyes. "I call him when I need to talk things out and he helps me decide. But I come to my own conclusion; he just leads me in the right direction. James gives me feedback and gives me the right advice. I can trust him. He's about the only person that I can trust anymore."

Fitz shook his head, he wanted to tell her that he didn't lie to her, and he just withheld key information. But he knew that it wasn't the time for that now. "I understand. James is very helpful about emotions. I'm glad you have someone to turn to like that."

"Thanks, I'm going to go find the doctor." Olivia left the room and met Cyrus, Eli, and James standing outside the door. "What the hell are you three doing here? You've caused enough damage. I only wanted James to come so I could work this out with someone who isn't so judgmental and you two idiots show up. You didn't need to punch him! He's got four stitches across his nose, Cyrus! I don't need this kind of drama from you. I have enough shit to deal with. The two of you need to leave, now." Cyrus and Eli tried to explain but Olivia wasn't having any of it. "Out, now." Defeated, Cyrus and Eli left. "James, thank you for coming. You helped a lot."

"Just doing what I'm good at. I can't believe that Cyrus hit him."

"I have to find the doctor for him, I'm considering what you said though. Here's the key to the apartment, you can go hang out there." She hugged James and went to find the doctor.

An hour later Fitz and Olivia were out walking out of the emergency room.

He wanted to hug her goodbye, kiss her if she allowed him to. But he didn't want to push his luck. "Thanks for staying with me, Liv. You didn't have to."

"Well, it was my fault you got injured, so I think I had to."

"I was thinking, I know I said I wasn't going to bother you. And I'm still not going to. But I'm not leaving until you tell me to. And I know it will be talked about, because it's weird since I'm a professor here but you're not my student. So I was wondering if… if you wanted to… I could… no pressure… I just want to…"

"Yes, Fitz. I'll go on a date with you," she answered his question without being spoken.

Fitz smiled wide at her. "Some things never change. You've always been able to read my mind. Just like I can yours. Are you busy tonight?"

"I have a late night at work; tomorrow though, I'll have the night off."

"Perfect, I'll pick you up at seven tomorrow night. I'll have everything worked out."

"Great, I'll see you then." Olivia headed home before she stopped and turned around. She ran back and hugged him tight. "I missed you," she mumbled.

Fitz wrapped his arms around her just as tight. "I missed you too Livie, so much."


	13. Dating

"Someone is very chipper today," Henry said when Olivia came into the office. "Got a hot date or pass a test? Though I've never seen you this happy about passing a test."

"Date actually," she answered with a grin.

"Really?! Shit, I was joking. Who's the guy? Where's he from? What's he do? When can I meet him?"

Olivia laughed at him. "You do realize that I'm not Amy right?" He nodded and motioned for her to continue. "We've actually dated before. I think you can call it dating. He's from California, he's a professor at Harvard Law and no you cannot meet him."

"You're dating a professor? Which one? Maybe I know him."

"Professor Grant. He's Amy's professor."

"And you've dated him before, sort of dated him."

"It's complicated," she tried to reason. Henry fought and urged her to tell the story. "He was my teacher in high school. We met my sophomore year just before I graduated. Yes, I'm that brilliant and busy. We dated in secret after something happened to me and my surrogate dad, Cyrus, asked him to keep track of me. When it came time to bring him home to meet the parents and crap after I graduated, Cyrus decided that then was the perfect time to tell me that Fitz was married." She saw Henry's face turn to red, angry for her. "I left that night and hadn't been back since. When I got to class and saw him, I left the class, transferred out. He's not my professor anymore, so technically, we aren't breaking any rules. We talked for a bit when I came back from Thanksgiving in California, since he followed me home. I called my other surrogate dad, James, and he came with Cyrus and he called my dad Eli, there was a confrontation. To end the story now, I just got out of the emergency room with Fitz. He has four stitches in his nose, courtesy of Cyrus for busting his nose open. I have a date with Fitz tomorrow night."

Henry laughed until the end. "What if I tell you that you can't have tomorrow night off?"

"What if I tell you I quit?"

"Okay, you can have tomorrow off. No one else tells me like it is. I need you, Liv. You can have tomorrow off. Does Amy know?" Olivia shook her head no at him. "But she knows about the professor dude?" Yes. "You should call her before I run my mouth to her by accident. Most of what you say goes in one ear and out my mouth at the dinner table. Maria's starting to think I love you more."

She smirked and let him get to work.

"You can't wear that on a date!" Amy yelled when Olivia came out of the bedroom dressed in jeans and a Harvard sweatshirt the next night. "You are going OUT, not staying in for a movie. What happened to all your sexy clothes?"

"You mean the ones I showed you already and you said made me look fat?"

"Yes, but there's a way to pick something else," she said. Amy went into Liv's bedroom to her closet looking in the back of it. She pulled out a ruffled knee length short sleeve black dress. "What about this one?"

Olivia looked at it, criticizing all of it. "It's ruffled. I don't know where we are going, but I can bet my life we aren't going to a gala. This is meant for formal. Not a casual date."

"Just put it on," Amy ordered.

Liv took off what she had on and replaced it with the dress. She looked in the mirror and realized that she looked amazing in the dress. "Alright, this is the one. Shoes, makeup, hair?"

Amy picked out a low pair of heels for her to wear then pulled Liv's hair into a ponytail and curled it. She added the very little makeup touches just as Fitz knocked on the door.

"You look great Liv, ready to go answer it?" Amy asked.

"Yup," Olivia stood up. She started towards the front door and Amy passed in front of her opening the door before Liv could.

Fitz stood with red tulips in his hands. "Ms. Jacobs, I seem to remember that Ms. Pope doesn't live here," Fitz teased with a smile.

"Professor Grant, I didn't know that you and Olivia knew each other," Amy responded looking down as she remembered the lie Olivia made her tell him.

"As I with you. I think you said you knew her reputation and that you never wanted to go against her for anything. But you did say she sounded like an amazing woman. That I can agree with, Olivia is amazing. And speaking as someone who has gone against her, don't do it. And never cross her," Fitz smirked.

"You two can stop talking about me like I'm not even here," Olivia said coming towards the door. "What are those, Fitz?"

"Livie, you look…look…"

"Amazing, hot, sexy, gorgeous, beautiful, cute, superb, awesome," she spoke for him. "You could just say that."

"Still reading my mind; these are for you."

"Red tulips? You do know they mean a dec…"

"Declaration of love. Because I do love you, Livie." Fitz said, handing her the flowers.

"Thank you Fitz, they are really beautiful." She turned to the kitchen and put them in water, setting the vase on the counter. "Ready to go?"

"Whenever you are."


	14. Date

The night was going perfect for Fitz and Olivia so far. Nothing had been said to hurt each other but that was because not much had been said by either of them. Fitz took her to one of the high class restraunt a few miles outside of campus. The lights were dimly lit, violins, piano, sweet talks at other tables, all well-organized. He pulled her chair out and held doors open, helped her out of the car, everything he could to act like the perfect gentleman.

"How is school going?" Fitz asked breaking the silence.

She put her fork down from her pasta and took a sip of her wine. "It's good. Enjoying all of it I guess. And for you?"

"Good, it's a bit different than high school teaching. But school is…"

"You don't want to talk about school as much as I don't. So let's drop the subject," she told him honestly.

"Seen any movies lately?"

"That's what you're going with? You followed me for a few weeks and know my schedule. When would I have time to see a movie?"

Fitz put his fork down and took her hand. "Livie, I'm really trying here. I don't know what to say or ask that won't make you run again. Give me some kind of clue as to what we can talk about. Anything please."

"How did you find out your wife was sleeping with your father?"

"THAT is not a discussion we are going to have. I will NOT talk about her with you. She's the reason I lost you once, I won't risk it again."

Olivia nodded, "fine. We don't have that much to talk about. Truthfully, we never did in the first place. Even four years ago we never really talked. We had a more…physical connection than anything. But what do I know? I was a teenager and very stupid."

"Okay, we're going to have that discussion. I thought I would wait a week or so before that one but we can do it now. You, Olivia, are brilliant. So much beyond the years you have. I initiated the relationship between us. I should have been more responsible for what was going on. I knew that it was wrong to start any type of relationship between us but I couldn't help it. I was attracted to you in every possible way. How could anyone not be? When Cyrus put the two of us together after your…what happened, I thought he was giving me a chance to be with you. We wasn't really and I misread the signals. What happened between us was never your fault. You are not stupid, you never were. You followed the instinct that was to be with me and I allowed it."

"You're forgetting that I was the one who said I love you in the auditorium. I started it and you followed in."

"I loved you before you said that. I started loving you the second you came into that classroom the first day after missing my class. When you wouldn't give me your name, it was sweet. Then Cyrus knew who you were and put me to the challenge of debating against you, it was amazing. The way you handled it was a little bitchy, but a major turn on."

"Therefore, the fucking bitch comment."

"That was never meant for you to hear. I had never lost a debate before. It was my ego that said that. When Cyrus wanted me to watch you after the incident, I thought he was testing me. To see if I was going to try anything or back off. I wanted to protect you because I love you. If something else would have happened to you and I could have stopped it, I'd never forgive myself. You are very important to me and I can't let anything happen to you. If something happened to you, I would do anything to bring you back, to protect you."

"But you weren't protecting me, you were hurting me. You should have told me you were married from the beginning. There was no ring for you. How is anyone supposed to know that you are married when there's no ring on your finger?"

"I've never worn a ring. It didn't matter about me being married to me because I never felt like I was married. We never spent time together or did anything to get to know each other. I was her back up when she couldn't get Jerry. I had sex with my wife twice while we were married and one of them got her pregnant and it wasn't even me. She was pregnant already when we had sex. He admitted to me a month after you left that the baby wasn't mine. I filed for divorce immediately and went to Cyrus and explained everything. He said he didn't care because I already hurt you enough. He had forbidden me to come anywhere near you or he'd call Eli. I'm not exactly sure what your father does but he's pretty frightening. Still, no excuse. I wanted to come find you and tell you everything that I had done wrong and make it up to you. I told Cyrus I was leaving to come find you here and he said you moved on. He said you met someone else and were very happy with him. I didn't want to disrupt your life again so I stayed away. This past spring, Harvard called and offered me the teaching position. I couldn't say no."

"When Harvard calls, you come running. Everyone knows that."

"Exactly, I wasn't going to come here and ruin everything for you. But when I saw someone run out of my class the first day, I knew it had to be you. When I came in the room that day, I felt like I could breathe again. So I knew you were somewhere near. And when they ran out, I felt like I was suffocating."

"You saw me run out. I was trying to be quiet and then you turned so I ran. Amy was supposed to be covering for me."

"And you switched classes."

"Harvard frowns on student teacher relationships outside the classroom. Luckily the policy has the loop hole and that's why I agreed to this date with you."

"You agreed because of a loop hole?"

Olivia nodded and explained. "You are a professor, I'm a student. There was an existing relationship before you became a professor here. The school has to recognize it. I am not allowed to be your student in any class, ever because we are in a relationship."

"Are?"

"Were, are, don't Clinton me with words. Either way you and I have an existing relationship. I've read the policy and had my boss go over it with me. There is no consequences for this relationship."

"But every action has a consequence."

"True, but this consequence will not be coming from the school. Neither of us can be punished for the relationship here. How did Cyrus say I was happy now?"

"He said you moved on with some guy and were happy with him."

"Cyrus is an idiot. He heard me talking to Edison over the phone and assumed that we were dating since he was at my apartment. Edison was just a litigation partner. Now, he doesn't talk to me since I mopped the floor with him in a debate."

"That's my Livie. Always taking down the opponent."

"Fitz, there's never been anyone since you, and I highly doubt that there will be someone for after you. You've ruined me for anyone else. I'm willing to let this continue but on one condition."

"Anything."

"You can't keep things from me. Especially things like being married. If you and I are going to try and make this work, you have to be completely honest with me. I've been nothing but honest with you every step of the way so you have to work with me. I can't have all of your secrets in a cloud over me waiting for it to explode."

"I can do that, I swear I will make this time better. Will you do one thing for me though?"

"Like what?"

"I need you to see someone about your rape."


	15. Fight

"No," Olivia told him flat.

"You really do though, Livie. You need to talk to someone about what happened," Fitz told her again.

"You already ruined out date last week about that. Push further and I won't see you again," she threatened.

It had been a week since their date. Everything went fine at dinner until Fitz said he 'needed' her to see someone about being raped. When he wouldn't drop the subject at dinner, she made him take her home ending the date that night. He'd pestered her all week about seeing a therapist. Fitz left messages for her, texted her, left names of highly qualified therapists on her fridge. He'd been trying anything he could to make her see reason for a therapist.

"Olivia, you and I both know that you would not end our relationship over you not seeing a therapist. That's a ridiculous reason to break up," he formed.

"Ridiculous? Really ridiculous? Alright let's go there," she yelled. Fitz knew he was in for it now; he regretted opening his mouth for this reason. "Five, what's ridiculous is that you brought up what I went through at a DATE that we were on. You knew I went to see a therapist a week after it happened; I am not the type to sit there and express feelings to a complete stranger for two hundred dollars an hour. Four, ridiculous is that I agreed to go on the date with you to begin with. After the shit you did to me years ago, why the hell did I think you might have changed or be sorry for what you did. Three, ridiculous is dating your high school civics teacher who is friends with your surrogate father. Two, ridiculous is screwing said teacher thirty nine times in a matter of weeks after knowing him for two in every place a person could think of getting fucked. And one, ridiculous is breaking up with said teacher because said teacher is married with a baby on the way! That's what's ridiculous! Get out."

Fitz started to argue with her but she went to her bedroom and slammed the door closed. He moved to the couch refusing to leave. If he did, he might not see her again. At least this way, he'd be able to get some word in. Fitz had been told about the countdown but it had never been used on him. He'd actually seen her use it once in a civics debate. She made the other kid cry making Fitz feel a bit scared of what else she could do.

Olivia sat on the floor against the bedroom door for ten minutes, trying to think of a way to make him understand that she was over it. What happened was years ago, she'd moved on with her life and let it go. Liv tried the therapy for a few weeks but didn't like it. She's a gladiator and they don't get to have feelings, she told herself through therapy. Liv went and took a shower before doing her homework on her bed. She looked at the clock after a while. 10:00 pm. Realizing she hadn't ate anything, she opened the bedroom door going to the kitchen. The lights were off in the living room but she could feel him. Olivia sensed that he was near her. She walked towards the living room and saw Fitz laying on the couch asleep. _"He stayed," _she thought. She grabbed one of the blankets off the back of the chair and covered him with it after taking his shoes off. Quietly she went to the kitchen making herself a light snack.

It was nearly nine in the morning when Fitz woke up on the couch. He looked around to figure out where he was, realizing he was in her apartment still.

"You're awake," Olivia said. He couldn't see her but he could tell that she was close. "And you stayed."

Fitz looked around and finally rested his eyes on Olivia. She laid on the floor next to the couch close to him. "Just because you call me an ass hole, doesn't mean I'm leaving. You slept there?" he smirked.

"Yeah, I just wanted to be near you. I thought about laying on you but I think you would have been uncomfortable. And I didn't call you an ass hole."

"No, but you were thinking it."

"Stay out of my mind. It's dark and scary there; you should stay in the light."

"I got a countdown last night."

"You got a countdown last night," she repeated. "I'm sorry. For being a bitch."

"I just want you to be okay, Livie. If you aren't okay, how am I supposed to be okay?"

Olivia sat up facing him, her back against the coffee table. "Fitz, I'm fine. I've worked through my issues. I don't need to pay a therapist to listen to me tell them what's wrong in my life. It only leads to more issues. I've taken care of the things I needed to."

"You flinch."

"I what?"

"You flinch, sweet baby. Every time I touch you and you don't expect it, you flinch."

"You would too. You just startled me."

"No, I mean you nearly jump out of your skin. I could understand it if you just jerked away a bit. But you jump a thousand miles when someone touches you. Livie, you can't live like that. It's not normal. You're…"

"Damaged, broken, split, crazy, psychotic."

"Different. It's not just me that gets that reaction; it's everyone. I… I just don't know how to help you, Olivia."

Olivia looked at her feet. She curled her arms around her legs protecting herself. "Did you stay the night to break up with me?" Fitz was shocked to hear that come out of her mouth. He was so stunned he couldn't say anything. "Are you breaking up with me because I won't see a therapist?" Silence. It filled the room. How was it possible that she could think he was breaking up with her? He knew he had to say something. But he couldn't form words. What was he supposed to say to that? How do you respond to someone who thinks you're breaking up? "It's okay if you are breaking up with me, I mean, I got through it once, I'll get through it again." She could feel the water filling behind her eyes. "You never use my whole name, so you are breaking up with me."

_"Shit,"_ he thought. Now was the time to say something. And the sooner he said something the better. But what to say is the question. He knew he had to choose his words carefully.

Liv held back tears as she got up from the floor. At the same time, Fitz sat up as fast as lightning and pulled her to him. He kissed her lips with as much passion as he could find trying to tell her through the kiss.

Several minutes went by before he pulled back. "I am NOT breaking up with you, Olivia. You are so important to me that I could NEVER break up with you. The thought of it makes me sick."

"But I won't go see a therapist, and you're mad at me."

"I'm not mad, Livie," he said brushing her hair behind her ear and wiping away a stray tear. "If you don't want to talk to someone about what happened, then don't. But you can always talk to me about it, if you want. I'm not pressuring you to talk about it to anyone though. Sometimes, it's easier to talk about it to someone. But I can't make you do anything."

"But you aren't breaking up with me?"

"No, never," Fitz said indefinitely.

She leaned into him and kissed him. "Good, I don't want to break up. In fact, I've got an idea I've been meaning to run by you."

"I'm all ears, Livie."

Olivia told him her plan and how they were going to make it happen.

"I think we can make that happen, sweet baby," Fitz told her. "This weekend?"

"The weekend away without interruptions."


	16. Vacation

So far the weekend was going great. Fitz took Olivia to a lake house that he and had rented a few times over summers. The house was quiet, not many people around because it was December. The first night they went for a walk on the sand. Anyone who saw them would probably have thought they were crazy. No shoes, jeans, long shirts and winter coats looked a bit crazy.

Saturday morning she planned perfectly. Olivia made Fitz breakfast in bed. Together they watched a movie barely leaving the bedroom until dinner time.

"I'm glad you suggested a weekend away," Fitz said kissing her forehead as they lay in front of the roaring fireplace.

"I wanted to do something special away from school. I'm surprised that Henry gave me the weekend off, though. He has major cases starting in court on Monday. I told him to call if he needed me though. It's been great just being here with you. And the five times of afternoon delights with you were amazing," Liv smirked.

"Yes, that pie was great. Afternoon delight pies," Fitz laughed.

"Sure, pies are good. But more than that, I was talking about the wonderful sex I was treated with."

"I know, you were great too, sweet baby." Fitz easily flipped over on top of her, gently laying her on the ground.

"Round six already? I was expecting another hour of relaxing," she giggled.

Fitz sat up with her on his lap. "Dinner then round six. I'm starving."

Olivia made them some chicken penne pasta while Fitz followed her like a puppy in the kitchen. "I can do this myself."

"I know, but I like to watch you. I can't do that all the time," he said kissing her.

They sat at the dining room table while they ate. They talked about how much had changed for them in the past four years and how they could finally be together the right way.

After dinner was done and Fitz helped Liv with the dishes, they retired to the bedroom laying down and enjoying the feel of each other against them naked.

"You know what I missed the most, Livie?"

"If you say sex, I'll hit you," Liv laughed.

"It's a bit better than that. Just being able to lie down and hold you. Every time after our sexcapade you let me hold you until you fell asleep."

Olivia moved closer into him wrapping her arm around his chest. "I missed that too. I loved falling asleep with you. It made me feel safe, I guess."

Fitz moved in an instant and hovered over her, ready to show her again how much he loved her. He kissed her lips then moved to her neck, lightly biting her and back up. He cupped one of her breasts kneading it in his hand then the other. Fitz kissed her hard and worked his way into her. Just seeing her naked was all he needed to get ready. She wrapped her arms around his neck as he moved starting his pace inside her. Liv's nails dug into his back harder than she usually would have as he sped up the rhythm.

"Too much nails, Livie," Fitz moaned against her neck. She didn't release her arms from him and kept her nails in, not hearing him. "Livie, the nails," he groaned again. He could feel her long nails breaking the skin. Again, she never removed them. He tried again but never got a response. It seemed to him that Olivia was enjoying it too much she didn't realize that he was bleeding. Quickly, he pulled up from kissing her neck and removed her hands from around him, pinning them tightly above her head.

"Sorry, Fitz," she smiled before kissing him. Liv tried to work her wrists out of his grasp but couldn't. "Fitz, let go," she said as she tried again.

"Almost, baby. Do it with me," he told her not comprehending what she was saying.

Olivia's breathing started to get ragged as he drove harder into her with his hands still around her wrists. "Fitz please!"

"So close, sweet baby."

She tried hard to work her hands away from him but he was too strong for her. "FITZ LET GO OF ME! AAAAHHHHHH!" Olivia screamed. She wanted him off of her and tried to get away but she was pinned between him and the bed with no escape.

He heard her scream but to him it sounded like pleasure, not pain. Fitz felt his release at the same time he felt Olivia's entire body tense.

She let out another scream and this time he knew it was one of pain. Fitz looked down at her face and saw that she had turned pale. He looked up and saw how tight his hands were around her wrists and immediately let go and pulled out and away from her.

"Livie?" he called her name but she was frozen. "Livie," he called again. She curled into a ball to the corner of the bed away from him.

Fitz reached out to touch her faster than he would have liked. As he moved it to her knee, she let out another scream.

"Liv, it's alright," he tried to soothe her. He could hear her breathing getting more ragged. He saw her eyes glass over. This was not his Olivia. As he thought of what could be happening to her, it hit him. He had done this to her. He could see his hands restraining her from moving and realized that was what she wanted released.

"Livie, they aren't going to hurt you," he said moving in front of her. "They are not coming near you again, I swear." Fitz moved his hand towards her face and she screamed again, kicking and hitting to get him away from her. He wasn't sure what he could do. In the not ideal situation, he ran down the stairs to find his cell phone.

"911, what's the emergency?" the operator asked.

Fitz explained that he needed an ambulance to come help her. When he hung up he ran to get dressed and at least attempt to get Olivia wrapped in something. He couldn't get her in any clothes or even a blanket. She laid on the bed still kicking and hitting anyone who came near her. Within ten minutes they were there.

The paramedics arrived with the stretcher up to the bedroom and assessed the situation. No matter how hard Fitz tried, he couldn't get her to calm down.

"Livie, please, no one is going to hurt you. It's over, relax, it's going to be okay," he tried to soothe her again. As he talked one of the paramedics got close enough to her without being hit and gave her a shot. Instantly, she relaxed and went motionless on the bed.


	17. Faults

Fitz sat in the waiting room in the emergency room waiting for someone to come out and tell him what happened. He'd been sitting there for over an hour while the paramedics rushed Olivia back. His thoughts went to how he made her scream. She was perfectly fine until she couldn't get her hands released. "_Why didn't I release her hands?"_ he thought.

"Who is here for Ms. Pope?" a woman came out and asked.

Fitz stood to be noticed and the doctor motioned for him to come over and follow him. "Is she alright?" Fitz asked full of concern.

The female doctor stepped over in front of him. "You're here with Ms. Pope?" Fitz nodded and she went on. "I'm Dr. Linden; Ms. Pope has had a panic attack. The paramedics gave her a light sedative to calm her and she is asleep now. I gave her another dose so she will likely sleep through the night. Do you know what might have caused her to panic?" Fitz nodded yes, immediately feeling guiltier. "She should stay away from situations like that and keep to her routine to ignore another attack."

"Thank you, can I see her? I'd like to stay with her so she doesn't panic when she wakes up not knowing where she is."

"Of course, we can set up a bed in there for you with her." Dr. Linden took Fitz back to Olivia's room and asked a nurse to get a bed. Fitz declined and just asked for a blanket instead.

He went in the room and rested his eyes on Olivia. She lay on the bed flat on her back with one arm on the side dangling off the bed and the other on her stomach. She was sound asleep with the blanket wrapped to her chest. He could tell that someone had put a gown on her to cover her up. Instinctively, he hoped it had been a female who had done it. Fitz turned the light off after the nurse handed him a blanket and went to the chair next to her bed. He turned the chair to face her and kissed her cheek before sitting down.

"I'm sorry, Livie, I'm so sorry," he said taking and holding her hand. Fitz sat down in the chair staring at her until he fell asleep.

Olivia slept hard through the night; the sedatives taking complete control of her. When she woke up she blinked several times to adjust to the light coming in from the window. She looked around and could see she was in a hospital room. Liv heard the sound of her heart rate monitor and saw Fitz still sleeping in the chair. He looked perfect and uncomfortable. A blanket lay across his lap and his neck craned to the left in the most uncomfortable position. She looked at him for several minutes in silence just taking in his features.

"I can feel you staring at me," he said, his eyes still closed.

Liv smiled at the sound of his voice and how he could sense her eyes on him. "Now you know how I feel every morning we spend together."

Fitz woke up fully and went to kiss her. "Hi," he said bending down.

"Hi," she replied after the kiss. "Why am I here?"

"You don't remember?" Olivia shook her head no at him and waited for him to continue. "What do you remember?"

"Sex with you after dinner, not much is clear I guess." As Olivia said it, she remembered. Fitz's eyes stayed on her and saw that she remembered what happened. "It is NOT your fault," she said seriously. Liv could tell that he was blaming himself for it. "Don't you dare try to take blame for it."

"Olivia, it is. I shouldn't have held your wrists down. That's why you panicked. I'm sorry, but it is my fault."

"NO! I should have been clear on what I wanted. Stop taking blame!" Olivia screamed and started to tear up.

Fitz moved to her and wiped at her eyes. "Every time that we have had sex, I've never held you down. This time was different and I did. It caused you to panic and have to have a sedative to calm you. I'm sorry; I should never have held you down."

"You are not at fault. I shouldn't have freaked out."

"Livie, you were raped," Fitz said.

Olivia raised her hand and slapped him. "Do NOT bring that up."

"This is why I have been telling you to see a therapist. Livie, if you did you might not have panicked last night. You wouldn't be here now."

"MIGHT is the key word. You don't know what could have happened. And I still refuse to see one. I won't do it. I will not talk to a therapist."

"Just one time, please Liv. I'll be right there with you if you want. I've already got an appointment set up for you tomorrow with a professional rape councilor."

Olivia was beyond upset now. "You just assume that because you said jump I will? It's not happening! I won't go."

"You will go Olivia, or we won't do it."

She knew exactly what he was talking about. He wasn't withholding sex from her, that would be punishing both of them unnecessarily. Although it could work if he was able to hold out. "You're threatening me with not going through with it?" Fitz nodded yes to her. "That's low, Fitzgerald, very, very low."

"But I will. If you don't go to see the therapist tomorrow, we don't do it. And I don't mean just this once, I mean we will never do it. It's your call Liv, choose."

Olivia crossed her arms, pissed off now. She took several minutes to consider her options. None of them was one that she would win. "You never told me you were married when we dated before."

"Playing the guilt card won't work, Olivia. Either you see the councilor tomorrow or we don't do it."

"I can sick Cyrus and Eli on you again. I'm sure they'd have fun with that."

"You could, but I know you won't. It'd be a punishment for you as well as for me."

Silence filled the room for several minutes. "You can be a real ass hole sometimes."

Fitz stood up and bent down to kiss her. "But that's why you love me."

Both of them knew that he had won and she was going to see the therapist when they returned tomorrow.


	18. Therapy

"You're going to see a therapist, not going on a date for now," Fitz told her as she searched through her closet for the tenth time to find something to wear.

"I'd still like to look presentable. I don't want this person to think that I am a crazy person. I have to look completely sane," Olivia explained.

"Livie, there's no reason to be worried about what she thinks of you. You will look amazing like you always do. Relax, please."

Olivia finally decided on a pair of black pants with a cream sweater and was ready to go. She let Fitz drive her but was going back and forth in her mind about letting him come in with her. He explained to her that it didn't matter to him as long as she discussed the rape with the therapist.

They arrived at the office for her appointment at four and Liv was still nervous. Fitz signed her in to notify the doctor that she was there and sat down with Olivia. After ten minutes passed the doctor came out.

"Ms. Pope?" she questioned looking for her.

Olivia squeezed his hand and stood with him. She'd told him in the car that she didn't want him to come in with her.

"You'll be fine, Liv. It's just talking," he said as he kissed her.

She nodded and headed to the office with the therapist. Olivia made it just to the door and froze. She stood there a moment and turned running towards the door. Three more steps and she would have made it out but Fitz stood in her way.

"What are you doing?" he questioned.

"I changed my mind. I don't want to talk to her. If you really loved me, you wouldn't make me do this, please Fitz. I don't want to do it," Olivia cried.

He bent down to her eye level and looked her straight in the eye. "You have to Olivia. I'm making you do this because I love you. All you have to do is talk. There's no criticizing or judgment." Olivia shook her head no determined that she wasn't going to go in there. "Olivia Carolyn Pope, you will go in there and talk to the therapist right now or we will not do it. I can't do it if you're going to freak out all the time."

"You really are an ass," she told him straight. Olivia folded her arms ready for battle but knew she wouldn't win. "Only if you go in with me."

"If that's what you want."

Olivia went into the therapist's office with Fitz close behind her. They sat on the couch across from Dr. Halen and got comfortable.

"So Ms. Pope, I hear there is something you need to talk about before any more panic attacks occur," Dr. Halen started their conversation.

"If we are going to be talking about this then you should call me Olivia. And I'm only doing this because he's making me. I don't like to talk to people about something that happened," Liv stated.

"Why don't you like to talk about it?"

"Talking about it, it makes it real. If I don't talk about it, it didn't happen. Like it was just a bad dream."

"But it's affecting your relationship. It's part of the real world. Why don't you set the scene for me?"

Olivia nodded and moved into the corner of the couch. "I was working at the diner outside of town. As usual, the place was deserted because it was nearly midnight. I had started to clean up the seating area. Wiping down the seats, clearing tables, normal things. I was the only one there. Three men came in. They'd been in before and robbed the restaurant. At first I didn't recognize them but then I did. The three came in with guns. One of them came over and held me down on the floor while the other two took everything out of the register. I couldn't stop them," Olivia said strongly. Fitz could tell that she was holding any emotion back. Right now, it was time to set the scene and add the facts. It was something that each lawyer knew how to do, withhold emotions. "They got the money they wanted and left. But before they got in the car they came back." She started to fidget with her hands not wanting to go any further.

"What did you do when they came back?" Dr. Halen asked.

Olivia stayed silent remembering everything as if it happened moments ago. "I froze."

"That's a typical reaction," Dr. Halen stated. "When we don't know what to do, our bodies stand still. When they came in what happened?"

Fitz watched Olivia's hands, wanting so badly to reach out and take them, but he resisted.

"The one that came over and held me down went towards me. I couldn't move anywhere, my feet wouldn't let me. He pushed me onto the counter while the other two went on either side of him. The second one, he pulled my hair to make me lay down on the counter. While the third one grabbed my ankles and opened my legs." Liv had her eyes shut tight, begging tears not to fall. "The one who held my hair grabbed my wrists and held them above my head tight. I tried to move away but I couldn't. The first guy, he tore my uniform apart feeling between my legs and my breasts. He told me how much I would like it and that I would feel good after it. The three of them took turns in my, everywhere. I tried to get them away from me at first, fighting them but I couldn't. When I tried and kicked one of them, the one above my head took his gun and smashed it against my face. He said if I tried to move away again, he'd kill me. He said there'd be no one to miss me if I was dead." Fitz felt himself getting pissed off wanting to find these boys that were still in jail and make them pay. "I went off to another place. I let my mind leave my body going to the pool to do some laps."

"So you don't remember all of it?" Dr. Halen asked her.

"Just them holding me down and them taking turns. I can't remember everything they did. I don't want to either. Like I said, it's just like a vivid dream. A very bad vivid dream." Olivia was able to hold her tears back until the end then letting it all fall.

"That's very common though. When a person is raped, they let it happen because they feel they have no control over it. It's a way to stay alive. We go to our happy place, or a place we feel safe like a daydream. We don't physically feel what is going on because we aren't mentally there."

"I should have fought them harder. Made my legs move or something to get away from them. Maybe then they wouldn't have raped me," Olivia cried.

Fitz jumped to her side taking her hands and turning her face to look him in the eyes. "You did what you had to do to survive. Those boys had guns and might have killed you. You don't know how that could have ended. I might have lost you."

"You called me a fucking bitch five hours before that," she laughed. "You didn't know me."

"But I loved you then. Even calling you that. I needed you like I still do."

Dr. Halen finished her session with Olivia and left the room for the two to talk.

"I came, I talked, and I did my part. Please, Fitz, don't make me talk to her again. I don't want to talk about this ever again. My panic attack was a onetime thing. I know how to stop them now," she told him.

"You never have to talk to her again if that's what you want. You do see that I was doing this for your own good right?" She nodded and waited for him to continue. "You can't know that panic attack was only a onetime thing. But I do know what set it off. I should have realized that."

"You're blaming yourself again. It's not your fault. Please don't." Silence filled the room for several minutes as Fitz held her hands in his lap. "I held up my part of the deal. Now, it's times for yours. Ready?"

Fitz smiled the biggest he ever had to her. "Yes Ms. Pope, I am truly ready to hold up my end of our agreement."


	19. Dinner

Dinner was ready to be served at Cyrus and James' house the next week. Eli, Fitz, and Olivia had come over to have dinner while they all were in town.

"How's school, Liv?" James asked her breaking the silence.

The last time all of them were together for dinner didn't go very well. This time was sure to be different. Fitz and Olivia had news they wanted to share at the most appropriate moment.

"We got married!" Olivia shouted.

Fitz looked at her wide eyed, jaw dropped. "That was not the appropriate time we discussed," he told her.

"I couldn't keep it a secret anymore. I had to tell them," Liv replied looking at each of the men.

Cyrus had fallen over trying to get up with a bit of struggle. Eli looked as if he was going to come across the table and strangle Fitz to death. James looked at Olivia wanting an explanation.

"Why was I not involved in this wedding?" James questioned.

"I think I'd like the answer to that as well," Eli added.

Olivia took Fitz's hand and held it on the table with her own. "I wanted to do it. So don't be mad at Fitz. After therapy last week we went to the courthouse and had a judge sign our marriage certificate and all that. I wanted to marry him. He made me go to therapy as a condition to the marriage. I didn't want to at all but I had to."

Cyrus pulled himself to his chair closer to the table. "I don't think that was a good idea. Liv, you're still in college. What are you going to do about school? And work? What about your life?"

"Cyrus," Fitz started, "we both know that I would never deny her school or work. She's worked everything out. This is all her doing. I just love her so much to deny her the moon. I'm not here to drag her down. I'm going to encourage her, as I have for the past four years, to exceed her limitations. Olivia can do whatever she wants."

"Obviously she has!" Eli yelled. "This was a stupid move on your part, Olivia. He's hurt you before and he will hurt you again. Mark my words, he will hurt you."

"You aren't being fair, dad," Olivia told him calmly. "Fitz has made up for that. I've forgiven him and we've moved on. I wanted to do this. I've stopped working at the diner, Henry has met and loves Fitz and I'm still working at the firm and going to school. I won't quit when the finish line is so close. Gladiators don't quit, right James?" James nodded and didn't say anything. "Now would be your input on this."

James looked to all of them separately before saying a word. "I think it was fast. We hardly knew the two of you were dating. I think that Fitz has made up for the past and is not going to repeat it. I also wish that I was at this little wedding and to be a part of the event. But that's alright. We can have another event here or wherever if that's okay with the two of you."

Cyrus was mad, as was Eli. "You're encouraging this, James. Neither of them should have done this," Cyrus added.

"This was ridiculous and beyond stupid. It should never have happened like this, or at all," Eli responded.

"I think the two of you are forgetting something," James spoke towards Eli and Cyrus. "She is OLIVIA POPE. You both know that she wouldn't do something without thinking about the consequences first, or the actions it might have on the rest of us and her life. You can NOT make her do something that she doesn't want to do. Fitz didn't coax her into it, it was her idea. The three of us have raised her right and she knows what she wants and how to get it, even if it means throwing someone under the bus. Olivia also does not need any of our permissions to get married. She can do that on her own now. The two of you will have to get over it and come to realize that this is the way it's going to be. Olivia is married to Fitz now and nothing is going to change that. Now move on. Fitz, I'm very glad that you are part of this family now."

Fitz leaned over and kissed Olivia's lips. "Me too."


End file.
